Updated 4:36 pm, Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Participants help paint a newly redesigned mural of President Obama across the street from The Breakfast Klub restaurant in Midtown. The mural's artist used a projector so volunteers can help trace the image. (Photo by Erin Mulvaney/Chronicle)

Participants help paint a newly redesigned mural of President Obama across the street from The Breakfast Klub restaurant in Midtown. The mural's artist used a projector so volunteers can help trace the image.

Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub speaks to a member of the media in front of his building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, vandals threw paint on the Barack Obama mural, defacing it. Artist Reginald Adams got a text about 7am this morning and immediately white washed the wall. Plans are for another mural to go up in the next few weeks. Davis has a permit to carry a gun and says that by carrying the gun, it sends a message that just because people disagree with each other, they don't' have to resort to acts that will do harm. less

Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub speaks to a member of the media in front of his building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, vandals threw paint on the ... more

Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub and Artist Reginald Adams look over the damage in front of his building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, vandals threw paint on the Barack Obama mural, defacing it. Adams got a text about 7am this morning and immediately white washed the wall. Plans are for another mural to go up in the next few weeks. Davis has a permit to carry a gun and says that by carrying the gun, it sends a message that just because people disagree with each other, they don't' have to resort to acts that will do harm. less

Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub and Artist Reginald Adams look over the damage in front of his building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, vandals threw ... more

Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

Image 7 of 27

The defaced Obama mural was covered with white paint Monday morning, Jan.28, 2013, after it was discovered to be defaced. At right is muralist Reginald Adams. | Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

The defaced Obama mural was covered with white paint Monday morning, Jan.28, 2013, after it was discovered to be defaced. At right is muralist Reginald Adams. | Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle

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A mural of President Obama at the former Democratic Party headquarters in Houston was vandalized during the weekend. The painting was done in mid-October 2012 to cover another vandalized portrait of the U.S. leader. less

A mural of President Obama at the former Democratic Party headquarters in Houston was vandalized during the weekend. The painting was done in mid-October 2012 to cover another vandalized portrait of the U.S. ... more

Photo: Dale Lezon / Houston Chronicle

Image 9 of 27

Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub, walks by the area that was a mural of Barak Obama on The Breakfast Klub's building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, vandals threw paint on the mural, defacing it. Artist Reginald Adams got a text about 7am, and he then came over and white washed the wall. Plans are for another mural to go up in the next few weeks. Davis has a permit to carry a gun and says that by carrying the gun, it sends a message that just because people disagree with each other, they don't' have to resort to acts that will do harm. less

Marcus Davis, owner of The Breakfast Klub, walks by the area that was a mural of Barak Obama on The Breakfast Klub's building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, ... more

Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

Image 10 of 27

Artist Reginald Adams takes a photo in front of the white washed wall which formerly was his mural of Barack Obama on one of the The Breakfast Klub building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Houston. Overnight, vandals threw paint on the Barack Obama mural, defacing it. Adams got a text about 7am this morning and immediately white washed the wall. Plans are for another mural to go up in the next few weeks. less

Artist Reginald Adams takes a photo in front of the white washed wall which formerly was his mural of Barack Obama on one of the The Breakfast Klub building at the corner of Travis and Alabama, Monday, Jan. 28, ... more

Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

Image 11 of 27 |
On a mission

Artist Reginald Adams tries to line up a projection used for the new Obama mural, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012. The previous mural, also the work of Adams, was defaced by vandals across from The Breakfast Klub restaurant in Midtown.

Artist Reginald Adams tries to line up a projection used for the new Obama mural, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012. The previous mural, also the work of Adams, was defaced by vandals across from The Breakfast Klub

The previous Obama mural was defaced by vandals for a second time. (Photo by Erin Mulvaney/Chronicle)

The previous Obama mural was defaced by vandals for a second time. (Photo by Erin Mulvaney/Chronicle)

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The previous Obama mural was defaced by vandals for a second time. (Photo by Erin Mulvaney/Chronicle)

The previous Obama mural was defaced by vandals for a second time. (Photo by Erin Mulvaney/Chronicle)

Image 27 of 27

Participants help paint a newly redesigned mural of President Obama across the street from The Breakfast Klub restaurant in Midtown. The mural's artist used a projector so volunteers can help trace the image. (Photo by Erin Mulvaney/Chronicle)

Participants help paint a newly redesigned mural of President Obama across the street from The Breakfast Klub restaurant in Midtown. The mural's artist used a projector so volunteers can help trace the image.

The owner of the Breakfast Klub on Sunday night may have stopped a possible vandal from damaging the much-defaced mural of President Barack Obama on the restaurant's storage building on the southern edge of Midtown.

Officers were dispatched about 7:45 p.m. to 3710 Travis near West Alabama after Marcus Davis called authorities saying he had spotted a man carrying an open can of paint near his restaurant, said Kese Smith, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department.

Smith said Davis detained the man until officers arrived.

Officers investigated the case and contacted the Harris County District Attorney's Office. The man was not taken into custody and no charges were filed because no crime had been committed, Smith said.

The mural paying tribute to Obama, the nation's 44th president, has been vandalized more than once, most recently in late January when black and red paint was splashed across the 10-foot image. The mural was redesigned and repainted in February.

Previously, the mural had been defaced in October, after which it was also redesigned and repainted.

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The mural, originally unveiled during the 2008 presidential campaign, has been a symbol of hope for Obama supporters.

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The mural project was done at the request of state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston. It was completed without pay by local artists Reginald Adams, GONZO247, Mr. Bristle and Christian Azul.